Half of Type 1 and Nearly Four in Ten of Type 2 Diabetes Patients Were Living With Depression in North West Ethiopia, Amhara Region A Research Study

Abstract

Background: The presence of both depression and diabetes is linked to poor compliance with diabetes care practices, lesser medication observance, rising incidence of complications thereby increasing the risk of emergency visits, hospitalization, and medical costs. It is therefore imperative to screen early and intervene timely this problem. However, information is limited to this problem in Ethiopia. So, this study assessed the magnitude of depression as well as its related factors in diabetes patients. Methods: This survey was done at a diabetic clinic of Felegehiwot referral hospital, May to June 2017. The PHQ-9 tool has been implemented to screen depression. Systematic sampling was applied to recruit 58 types 1 and 363 types 2 diabetes respondents. Representativeness of sample for diabetes type 1 and 2 was assured with proportional allocation. We used an internal comparison to designate depression in diabetes types 1 and 2. Binary logistic regression was fitted to identify factors. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI was computed and variables with a p-value of<0.05 in the final model were declared significant. Results: The participant’s response rate was 421 (96.3%). The overall prevalence of depression was 163 (38.7%) with moderate, moderately severe and severe depression being 100 (23.75%), 39 (9.25) and 24 (5.7%) respectively. The magnitude of depression among type 1 diabetes mellitus (Type 1 DM) was 29 of 58 (50%) and it was 134 of 363 (36.9%) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM). Age of 45- 54 years (AOR=2.64, 95%CI: 1.38, 8.95), poor medication adherence (AOR=1.35, 95% CI: 1.18, 5.85), poor social support (AOR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.06, 4.34) and coexistence of medical illness (AOR=2.52, 95% CI: 1.28, 6.39) were the factors associated with depression. Conclusion: Overall, nearly four in ten diabetes patients (38.7%) had depression. Depression was higher in type 1 DM patients (50%) than type 2 DM patients (36.9%). Age, poor social support, poor medication adherence and coexistence of medical illness were associated with depression. Therefore, the system of care for diabetes patients should focus on routine screening and management of depression and its associated factors.